Getting Started. To get started on your radio press
release, think about who you will be pitching your show to.
Ultimately your show is being pitched to radio hosts and
producers who are inundated with press releases and phone
calls every day. They are looking for the hottest show
ideas that their listeners will enjoy.
So, come up with a show idea. Think about how you can tie
your product and message to something that a producer or
host would deem newsworthy. Think outside the box a
bit...some of the best radio show ideas live there!
Now that you have your show idea there is something else to
consider: why should they listen to me and not the
countless other people who seemingly know more than me on
the subject? Radio shows need expert, not guests sharing
unqualified opinions. Remember, they can just as easily
get these opinions by taking calls from their listeners.
You are an expert and you don't even know it! Think about
it: who knows your product and message better than you do?
You can probably talk about your product with more
knowledge and enthusiasm than anyone else out there. Later
you'll learn the press release tricks to position yourself
as an expert.
Now you not only have a show idea, but you are an expert!
Well done! Now it is time to start working on the release.
Throughout this process do not forget the following vital
piece of information: THE PRESS RELEASE IS YOUR TOOL TO GET
BOOKED ON RADIO SHOWS!
The Five Pieces of the Press Release Puzzle The following
are the important components of a radio press release which
will make your show idea come to life for producers and
hosts, as well as position you ahead of the pack.
1. Headline! Headline? HEADLINE!!! Arguably the most
important aspect of your press release, headlines are so
vital that there are entire books written and seminars
taught on how to construct the most effective ones. Now,
don't let this scare you. Writing a killer headline is
definitely a skill that can be developed; all you need is a
clear and concise overview of your topic. Write down your
show idea and look it over. Now look it over again.
What is your key message? Is your show idea newsworthy?
Are there any well-known people that you can tie into your
topic? Do you have any impressive statistics that are
relevant? Is there anything controversial that ties
directly into your subject? The answers to these questions
will help you develop a headline which is ready for
increased pick-up by producers and hosts.
Your headline must communicate the topic of the show
instantly in an eye-catching way. It should not be longer
than 1 sentence and will act as THE sound bite on your
topic. Now that's a lot of weight to put on a single
sentence!
Sometimes to alleviate the weight of the headline, you may
need a sub-head to support it. If your headline gives just
a taste of your show topic, then a sub-head is useful to
explain it further. When someone reads the headline and
sub-head together it should immediately click what the
concept of the show is. Do this correctly and you will
definitely grab some attention!
2. Discussion Topic This is your chance to present a
concise summary of your show topic. It should continue
naturally from the headline to further expand the topic.
The headline gets the attention and the discussion topic
gives the reader more.
The length should be two sentences, tops. This forces you
to present (and think about) your topic in a concise
manner. Again try to tie your topic to current events,
celebrity, or controversy! Don't be worried about
repeating yourself in the different sections of the press
release. After all, you want to get a cohesive point
across! (A great tip: try writing the Topic Summary and
Headline together. It is a great way to save time!)
3. Talking Points/Questions These are an absolute must for
talk radio as they are the shaping tools that guide the
host through your topic. Funnily enough, most times the
host will read directly off of the press release during the
interview. This not only makes them look knowledgeable,
but it saves them heaps of time! So why not have them read
YOUR words?!
Yet again you will need to tie in current events and any
controversy that will stir interest (are you tired of
hearing this yet?). Generally it is good to give no more
than 10 of these conversation shapers. If you do get your
show picked up, the interviews generally last anywhere from
5 to 30 minutes...so concise is a word that you should
familiarize yourself with right now!
Remember: the more interesting the questions - the more
interesting the interview!
4. Topic Overview This is where the traditional press
release that you may have seen before resurfaces. The
reason it only appears now is because in radio you need to
grab their attention quickly, something that the topic
overview doesn't. Keep in mind that you are pitching your
show topic to inundated radio producers and hosts whose
time is very limited. With hundreds of releases hitting
their inbox, the more eye-catching and relevant your
headline is, the more they will read on.
Once you have gained their attention with your eye-catching
headline, topic summary and talking points it is time to
present the full show idea. This is your opportunity to
fully flesh out your topic to position you as an expert on
the topic you are discussing. Do not write a sales piece
here - write your show! Work your name, personal quotes
and product name into the summary. Liberally use the
following to build your topic and profile: statistics,
testimonials, current news facts, professional title (which
is real and honest). Use anything that will interest the
producer, host and in effect THEIR AUDIENCE! Try to limit
this to a page maximum, with an ideal range to be 4-6
paragraphs with around 4 sentences max in each one.
5. Biography Now this is the one element that people tend
to forget, underplay or overplay. THIS IS ABOUT YOU! This
is your chance to position yourself as the expert you are
in order for your show idea to be picked up, with you in
the driver's seat. Use your qualifications, education,
career, relationships, memberships, travel history, how
many dogs you have....etc. Basically use anything that can
help qualify you as an expert on the topic. If you are
writing about religion, anything that you do in your life
that pertains to religion is applicable and increases your
plausibility as an expert on that topic.
A word of warning though: don't sensationalize yourself.
By doing this you will immediately turn-off producers and
hosts. Instead, effectively communicate your achievements
and expertise on the topic that you are presenting. Simply
rehashing your resume with bullet-points is an absolute
"no-no".
Don't Forget! * The goal of a radio press release is to
market you, the expert, and your topic to radio producers
and hosts in order to get booked as a guest on their shows.
All of the sections of the release should support each
other and come together to present a clear view of your
show topic. The best way to get someone to hit the delete
button on your press release is by presenting them with a
disjointed release that does not clearly present the topic
or explain why you are an expert on the topic.
* Be concise at all times. If your release is "top-heavy"
it will be dumped almost immediately, most times without
even a glance. Make sure that the Headline and Topic
Summary sections are top-notch, tight and straight to the
point. With radio you have the freedom to be slightly more
sensational than with print. By having an eye-catching
headline and topic summary you will grab attention, and the
rest of the release will feed it. Don't just go for
eye-catching statements if they do not communicate your
topic. Be clear and get your idea across as best as you
can.
* And guess what? All of this hard work means nothing if
your show topic is flat. Put lots of thought into your
show idea. Think about topics that will appeal to the
masses rather than a small niche market. The broader the
appeal and the more timely the subject matter, the more
interesting you are to radio producers and hosts.
The radio press release is the best marketing tool to get
you onto talk radio shows so you can publicize yourself and
your product. If you take your time developing your topic
and put lots of thought into developing your press release
you can almost guarantee that radio stations nationwide
will start biting! So get writing!
----------------------------------------------------
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity
for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event
Management Services, Inc (). If you would like to receive
her free Electronic book "How to Be a Great Talk Radio
Guest" visit http://www.emsincorporated.com .
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